Bavaria and Bohemia 19-23 April 1995
by Brian Stone, illustrated by Paul Everden
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GPOG Trip Report Bavaria and Bohemia 19-23 April 1995 by Brian Stone, illustrated by Paul Everden |
Participants: Martin Coates, Brian Stone, Peter Clement, Angie Clement, Neil Maxwell, Chris Small, Neil Crossman, Kevin Warrington.
Getting There
Tuesday night and we arrive at the Channel Tunnel terminal at Folkstone at just after midnight to take advantage of a cheaper fare. The tunnel had not been operational for long and teething problems left us with over an hour’s wait for a shuttle. Plenty of time to contemplate the noise that had started to emanate from the rear of Martin’s trusty Golf. By the time we were driving along the inside of the train the noise from the exhaust was deafening (and more than a little embarrassing). When the exhaust goes on a Golf it goes quickly and noisily!
Grasshopper Warbler, Moorhen and Coot could all be heard nearby when we stopped at 3:30am just after leaving the terminal at Calais to effect some temporary repairs to the exhaust which got us to Aachen for an expensive replacement exhaust. From here the route took us past Cologne, Frankfurt, Wurtzburg, Nürnburg and Deggendorf. The drive took about 10 hours and produced 44 Buzzards, 4 Red Kites and 2 Ospreys one between Cologne and Frankfurt and the other at a superb autobahn stop between Wurtzburg and Nürnburg called Schlüsselfeld.
As well as the Osprey, a female Marsh Harrier and a Hobby flew over the motorway here and Black Redstart, Tree Pipit, Nuthatch and Siskin were among the passerines nearby. Another Marsh Harrier passed by just east of Regensburg.
The Bayerischerwald
After setting up camp at Klingenbruun we headed for our first site at Flanitzbene, tipped for White-backed Woodpecker and Pygmy Owl. Fieldfare, Sparrowhawk, Black Redstart, Brambling, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Hawfinch were all seen here during the afternoon. There was no sign of the woodpecker so by the evening our attentions turned to Pygmy Owl. We scoured the surrounding woodland until well after dusk. It was 8:40pm when we returned to the picnic site and immediately heard a Pygmy Owl, which rapidly approached to call from trees above the picnic tables using a variety of calls. By now it was rather dark and only silhouettes could be seen as the bird moved between trees occasionally leaving the conifers and perching out on the more open birches. The tiny size and bat-like fluttering flight were most striking. A second bird also called but remained at a distance.
At this stage only half of the party had seen the bird as the other car had already left to return to the campsite. When we returned to tell the others, they were convinced we were trying to wind them up. Clearly another visit the next evening would be necessary to convince them. The local hostelry’s food and copious beer and spirits were unable to make any difference. They just became happy, drunk sceptics.
After a fruitless dawn dash to the Pygmy Owls, Thursday morning saw
us looking for that most elusive of Woodpeckers, White-backed. In Poland the
previous year this species had tantalised us with a distant drum but refused to
show. We were determined not to dip again. In beautiful old Beech and Oak
forest at Zwieslerwaldhaus we were treated to amazing views of Black and
Grey-headed Woodpeckers, but still the big pied one eluded us.
Crested Tit, Firecrest and a host of other common species did
their best to brighten the long search.
At 20:30 that evening the doubts of some of the party were well and truly silenced as two Pygmy Owls performed beautifully at Flanitzbene. In better light and at only about 15 feet above us, one bird captivated us with a range of threat displays – bobbing its head and spreading its wings while calling frantically. A Nutcracker had flown across earlier in the evening here.
Another thrash around the Zweislerwaldhaus woodland early Friday morning revealed much the same as the previous day so, with another woodpecker site to try, we set off for the Czech Republic.
At the border a Czech border guard looked long and hard at the beardless image on my 9-year-old passport. After a long discussion in pigeon German (and a suggestion that I have shave!) we crossed into The Czech Republic between Philippsreut and Strazny.
The sunny crisp spring walk to Mount Boubin was very pleasant. Firecrest, Grey Wagtail and many Camberwell Beauty butterflies were along the stream near the car park. Around the old forest reserve 2 or 3 Goshawks and a few Common Buzzards showed overhead and a male Tawny Owl started calling at midday. But apart from 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Crested Tits and Goldcrests we saw little else here.
Having devoted almost two full days to searching for White-backed Woodpecker, we decided to treat ourselves to some non-woodland birding and headed for the Lakes near Trebon , about 110 km south of Prague.
As we dropped from the mountains towards the lakes area the temperature rose by a good 10 degrees and the snow of Mount Boubin was soon forgotten on this very warm and sunny afternoon. Turtle Dove and Montagu’s Harrier were added to the list en route.
About 600 lakes, created to farm fish, surround Trebon. Fish production is still a major industry, and the lakes are drained periodically to harvest the fish. Traditional Christmas dinner locally is Carp, which are delivered live and kept in the bath until Christmas day!
The area is designated a UNESCO Biosphere reserve and is a RAMSAR site.
At about £5 per night the Hotel Regent was clearly a four star affair and looked somewhat out of place in the small town of Trebon. The food was cheap and excellent if you ignore the ham garnish on the vegetarian special!
The hotel stood on the edge of a tidy park and Lake Svet. A stroll around the park and lake in the evening revealed the predictable Black Redstart, Fieldfare and Serin. A pair of Goldeneye were on the lake. More remarkable were the great views of Long-eared Owls at the nest. One nest was at only 10 feet up in a small tree next to a cycle path and picnic table! From well before dusk we watched adults bringing food to the young at this nest and another nearer the hotel. There were also large numbers of Noctule Bats flying around the park at dusk.
Later that evening we went to the woodland at Hradecek just south of Trebon. It was dark when a Tengmalm’s Owl called rather distantly so we resolved to return earlier in the evening the next day.
Early risers on Saturday morning were treated to 3 Black-necked
Grebes, Bluethroat, Hawfinch, Willow Tit, and
Grasshopper Warbler all on or around Lake Svet. Others had a very lazy,
breakfast to the sound of singing Black Redstarts and Serins. A
selection of common warblers were singing in the park in the morning and 1
Little Ringed Plover and 2 Marsh Harriers passed over. Then we
headed out to check out the many nearby lakes.
Near the town of Luznice a stop to examine 3 Black Storks flying over also revealed Tree Sparrow, Wheatear and a Tree Pipit. A real treat awaited us at Lake Koclitrov. The northern half of this lake had been drained leaving wet mud, perfect for the many waders, gulls and terns present. In the north east corner of the lake we watched as two pairs of Penduline Tits built their elaborate nests in the extensive marginal vegetation. There were also 2 singing Bluethroats and a male Whinchat here.
The star was a stunning male Citrine Wagtail, which treated us to superb views as it fed on the mud near the edge of the lake.
Across the causeway the other half of the lake was still full of water and an Osprey, a Mediterranean Gull and a few Common Sandpipers were making use of the area.
The next Lake, Lake Maly Tisy had Little Grebes and a female and 2 male Red-crested Pochards.
Lake Velky Tisy is one of the larger lakes of the region. The causeway on the northern side produced excellent views of a sub-adult White-tailed Eagle and Marsh Harriers were common. In the mature trees and scrub along this track were 2 male Collared Flycatchers as well as a male Pied Flycatcher, Short-toed and Common Treecreeper, singing Bluethroat, 2 Black Storks, a Red Squirrel and another couple of Camberwell Beauties.
The southern shores revealed 2 adult White-tailed Eagles, a pair of Shoveler, 1 Black Tern, a male Redstart, singing Icterine Warbler, Bearded Tit, Cuckoo, Grasshopper Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Savi’s Warbler, Water Rail and a booming Bittern. A Black Kite showed between here and Lomnice and there was a White Stork near Dvoriste. The eastern shore of the lake here produced 2 male and 1 female Garganey, breeding Fieldfare and Tree Sparrow.
There were 3 male Collared Flycatchers, 3 Great Spotted
Woodpeckers, Tree Sparrows and at least 3 Common Sandpipers
along the northwest shore of Lake Rozmberk.
Lake Novy Vdovec was the final lake visited and produced 12 Black-necked Grebes, 1 Black Tern, 1 Little Gull and a Hooded Crow.
Just before sunset we arrived back at the woodland where the Tengmalm’s Owl had called the previous evening. Forestry tracks took us through spruce and fir plantations where Hazel Hen failed to perform. At dusk a Tengmalm’s Owl called from some way off on the other side of a block of older mixed woodland but its calls quickly grew nearer. Very soon it was calling frantically from the edge of a block of conifers just feet from the track where we were standing. We tried moving our position but nothing would coax the bird from the dense foliage and eventually it left without showing. We left shortly after, the exhilaration of such a close encounter tinged very slightly with the disappointment of not seeing the bird.
On the return journey a Black Grouse flew across the road just before Strazny. Considering the trouble earlier GPOG trips have had with Black Woodpecker it was impressive to have two fly over the autobahn in front of us just north of Frankfurt. Crested Lark and Grey Partridge at Calais brought the total trip list to 146 species seen or heard making this one of our most productive European GPOG trips.
Clearly we must try again for the elusive White-backed Woodpecker.
